Syrian forces backed by tanks stormed Daraya, on the outskirts of Damascus, on Thursday, Aug 23, after 24 hours of artillery and helicopter bombardment to drive out rebels, opposition sources said.

The bombardment killed at least 15 people and wounded 150 in Daraya, situated on the southwest edge of Damascus, the sources said.

Troops were conducting house to house raids in the conservative Sunni Muslim town and making their way to the town's center, meeting light resistance from rebels who appear to have largely withdrawn from the area, activists in Damascus said, Reuters reported.